To evaluate the effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on cardiopulmonary function in healthy adults.
Thirty-six healthy adults without a cardiac problem were enrolled. All patients were randomly assigned to either a control (17 subjects, mean age 29.41) or an electrical stimulation group (19 subjects, mean age 29.26). The electrical stimulation group received NMES on both sides of quadriceps muscle using a Walking Man II® in a sitting position for 30 minutes over 2 weeks. Maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max), metabolic equivalent (MET), resting, maximal heart rate (RHR, MHR), resting, maximal blood pressure (RBP, MBP), and maximal rate pressure product (MRPP), exercise tolerance test (ETT) duration were determined using an exercise tolerance test and a 6 minute walk test (6MWT) before and after treatment.
The electrical stimulation group showed a significant increase in VO2max (p=0.03), 6MWT (p<0.01), MHR (p<0.04), MsBP (p<0.03), ETT duration (p<0.01) and a significant decrease in RsBP (p<0.02) as compared with the control group after two weeks. NMES induced changes improved only in RsBP (p<0.049) and ETT duration (p<0.01). The effects of NMES training were stronger in females.
We suggest that NMES is an additional therapeutic option for cardiopulmonary exercise in disabled patients with severe refractory heart failure or acute AMI.
Citations
Objective: To evaluate cardiopulmonary function and maximal exercise capacity in patients with ankylosing spondylitis using exercise stress test, the possible causes of reduced maximal exercise capacity and the correlation between dynamic pulmonary function and static pulmonary funtion
Method: Twenty patients with ankylosing spondylitis were evaluated with incremental exercise stress test, static pulmonary function test and the mobility of thoracic cage and spine.
Results: 1) Nineteen patients (95%) showed reduced maximal exercise capacities. 2) Deconditioning was the most frequent cause of reduced maximal exercise capacities (13 patients, 68%). 3) There was no significant correlation between exercise stress test and static pulmonary function test, and between exercise stress test and the mobility of the spine and thoracic cage.
Conclusion: Maximal exercise capacities were reduced in patients with ankylosing spondylitis, and the most frequent cause of them was deconditioning. To improve exercise capacity, conditioning exercise should be emphasized in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.
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